


In The Wind

by ladyjax



Category: Wonderfalls
Genre: AU, F/M, Female Character of Color, Gen, Mental Health Issues, jail break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 15:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17348027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyjax/pseuds/ladyjax
Summary: Jaye's doing time at the local mental health institute.  Mahandra and Aaron have a plan to bust her out.  No one said it was a good plan.





	In The Wind

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Small Fandom Fest. Prompt: "you knew what you were getting into"
> 
> Loosely based on the producers proposed plans for season 2 which would have seen Dr. Ron having Jaye institutionalized.

Mahandra peered over the hedge then ducked down just as a guard walked by. "This is a terrible plan," she hissed. "We are going get caught and then thrown in jail."

The lopsided grin and somewhat dewy gaze of the man Mahandra had inexplicably fallen in love with was in full force when he turned to her. "This is going to work," Aaron whispered back. "It's not like they're expecting us anyway." He leaned in closer and his grin grew brighter. "You knew what you were getting into when you hooked up with me."

"If you mean suddenly being privy to the particular type of white person crazy that characterizes your family," Mahandra shot back, "Then I guess you have a point." She cautiously peered above the hedge again. "Okay, the guard is gone."

The pair popped up from behind the neatly manicured foliage, straightened their clothes then walked side by side towards the entrance of the Brookhaven Institute. Aaron adjusted his glasses on his nose and said, "Operation Free Jaye is a go."

Mahandra McGinty was not a woman generally given to regret. She'd grown up in Niagara Falls, left it to go to college then came back, much to her parent's chagrin.

"Why come back here?”  Mahandra’s mother, Clotilde asked more than once over the years.

Mahandra rolled her eyes each and every time. "You're both still live here. Pot meet kettle."

"Girl's got a point," Mahandra's father, Reginald replied from behind his paper. He dipped down one edge and peered over the edge of his glasses at his wife and his only child. Had he been close enough, Clotilde would have probably popped him one in the upside the head but Reginald had not survived marriage to his beloved, yet volatile, mate by being stupid. Still, a quelling look from her was enough for him to temper his response with another nugget of wisdom:

"What I meant to say is that you should see what else is out there in the world."

"And leave that crazy Tyler girl alone," her mother muttered.

Ah, yes, the infamous Tyler family, the bane of Clotilde McGinty’s existence. Even though Reginald would helpfully point out that the Tyler's had never actually done anything to them. Aside from Mahandra spending a lot of time with their slacker daughter, Jaye.  Clotilde despised anyone who didn’t display any sort of ambition. Jaye was at the top of her metaphorical list. 

"I'm not a slacker," Jaye declared, when she and Mahandra gathered to discuss the matter (with Mahandra leaving out the ambition part) over drinks at the Barrel. "Just slightly unimpressed by the state of the world."

"That's fair," Mahandra had replied that particular day. "The world doesn't have a lot going for it at the moment."

“And,” Jaye continued, pointing with her remaining fingers holding a shot glass, “I do have a job.  It’s just not a great job. I’m keeping my options open.”

Mahandra crooked a skeptical eyebrow.  “Keep telling yourself that.” She raised her hand for the bartender.  “Another round for me and my non-slacker friend here!”

She was still wondering how she got from then to now. Sneaking into the local high class mental institution in a borrowed suit and her hair flat ironed within an inch of its life, with Aaron decked out in his own suit looking every bit the respectable citizen was not what she expected to be doing at this phase of her life., Mahandra still wasn't exactly sure. In any case, they had their goal: They were going to bust Jaye out and either take her home or someplace else where her doctor couldn't find her. They’d deal with the repercussions later.

They reached the front desk and waited until the receptionist noticed them.

"May I help you?"  the receptionist’s bored drawl was accompanied by a look that said, “I don’t get paid enough to talk to you.”

"Yes, I'm Doctor Kant, Aaron said with a self-important smile while gesturing at Mahandra. “This is my associate, Doctor Jung.”

Mahandra picked up the introduction with, "We are here to see one of the patients in your care ward. A Miss Jaye Tyler?" 

The receptionist, Claire by her name tag, gave the both of them the once over. Mahandra resisted the impulse to tug the edges of her jacket down and straightened to her full height giving her best effort to look like a competent mental health professional.

Claire's brows looked as though they were knitted together as she considered what she was being asked. "I'm not supposed to let anyone see her. Doctor's orders."

"We work with Dr. Campbell and we have permission to speak with Ms. Tyler while he is on vacation," Aaron broke in. Leaning over the desk, he handed the forged permission letter to the receptionist.

Claire took just long enough to read over the letter that Mahandra was convinced their cover was blown. She was prepared to fight their way out when a single sparkle polished nail finally tapped the visitor log.

"Sign in."

They scribbled their aliases and a very larger orderly walked them down a hallway until they reached a solarium. He pointed one meaty finger towards a figure sitting passively near the window. "Thank you," Mahandra gritted out. "We'll take it from here."

The orderly folded his arms across his chest and stared them both down. "I'm not supposed to leave you here alone with her."

Mahandra and Aaron looked at each other. Mahandra She raised her eyebrows and desperately tried to communicate: we did not count on this, hot shot. Aaron spared the orderly a glance before his own expression relayed something along the lines of: follow my lead." Or something like that. Mahandra was hoping to God that she was reading his expression right.

Aaron leaned down, adjusted his glasses and peered at the orderly’s name tag. "You're very welcome to stay right here, Mr...Brown. Yes, Mr. Brown." Aaron said. "However, we do require some privacy for our discussions with Miss Tyler. HIPAA and all that."

“Oh fuck, please do not let this dude know what HIPAA is,” she thought frantically.

His eyes swept from one to the other before he finally nodded. "I'll be right here."

"Great." "Wonderful."

They eased away from the door and walked toward the person sitting near the window. Even though she'd been locked in this place for the better part of a year, Jaye actually looked good. Her hair was combed and her gown, though it had definitely seen better days, was all the way on her body. The robe was a gift from Jaye's parents. A thick lavender colored velour robe with matching slippers.

Aaron pulled over two chairs and they sat down in front of Jaye. "Good afternoon, Ms. Tyler. My name is Dr. Kant and this is my colleague, Dr. Jung.We wanted to ask you a few questions about your experiences."

When Jaye raised her head, Mahandra had a passing thought that maybe she'd succumbed to the siren song of pharmaceuticals just to deal with this place but then Jaye winked.

"Hello, DOCTORS." Jaye pitched her voice just enough for the orderly's benefit. "I would be glad to speak with you."

Mahandra took a quick look over her shoulder and saw that the orderly had taken a seat near the door and was looking at his phone. "Okay, Ms. Tyler,” she said as she turned her attention back to Jaye. "Let's get started."

"Sure, let's do that and when we're done," Jaye leaned in to whisper, "You are going to bust me out of here."

Mahandra and Aaron looked at each other in surprise. "How did you know we’re going to do that?" Aaron asked stupidly.

She rolled her eyes. "You snuck in here dressed like doctors, Aaron. I’m assuming you were able to get this far which means you were able to get what you needed to get in here by less than legal means." She dropped her voice back down, aware that it had risen and looked around to make sure that no one was looking at them. "So?"

"We're going to walk your ass right out of here, is what we're going to do." Mahandra replied firmly. "That's the plan."

"That's a shitty plan." Jaye replied with a snort.

"Unless the voices in your head have a better idea, you don't get to complain," Mahandra whispered fiercely. “We got this far. Let’s get to it.”

They spoke for a few more minutes, periodically checking the orderly.  When the alarm rang for shift change, the trio stood up and headed towards the solarium door.  Mr. Brown was looking at his watch with a grimace.

“Next orderly is coming on shift,” he said.  “I need to escort Miss Tyler back to her room.”

Mahandra and Aaron bracketed Jaye between them so they could edge through the doorway.  “No need to exert yourself, my good man,” Aaron said expansively. “We can save you the trouble.”  

Brown shook his head.  “That’s not the procedure.”  He peered at the three of them; Jaye kept her head down but Mahandra could tell she was struggling not to laugh.  “Maybe I should call the front desk.”

“You do that.  Dr. Kant and I will be happy to take Miss Tyler where she needs to go,” Mahandra replied.  “Let’s go, dear.”

They began to march Jaye down the hallway quickly only to break into a run when Brown suddenly yelled, “STOP RIGHT THERE.”

“Left, LEFT!”  Mahandra called out as the trio pelted down the hallway.  They swung left and hit the emergency exit. Suddenly, the relative serenity of the Institute was broken by a shrill claxton as they tumbled out of the door. 

“Which way?” Jaye shouted.  Aaron pointed towards the parking lot as Mahandra slipped off the serviceable heels she’d been wearing so she could run.  

For once, fate or whatever deities watched over fools, conspired to give them a head start.  They reached Mahandra’s Prius, piled in, and pulled out just as orderlies burst through the front doors of the Institute.  Gravel crunched beneath the wheels as Mahandra wrenched the car around so they were facing the right direction then she took off, easily clearing the entrance and making a beeline for the Interstate.

“Can I just say that I am so glad that Dr. Ron put me in there rather than the state hospital?”  Jaye remarked. “You never would’ve been able to bust me out of there.”

“That’s a small comfort,” Mahandra remarked as she checked her rear view mirror.  Then she looked at Aaron. “We did it.”

He grinned.  “Yeah, we did.  I love you.”

Mahandra sighed.  Her mother was going to have a fit when they showed up at the house with Jaye in tow.  Oh, well. “I love you, too, Aaron.”


End file.
